Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3703 Jan 18-Feb 2 2018 | Page 22

20
FRESHWATER
Jan 18 - Feb 2, 2018
FRESHWATER REPORTS:
CONTINUED FROM PG 18
SHASTA LAKE
cont.
averaging about 3 fish per day. I stopped
near the dam the other day to check out
the launch ramp and met a guy that had
caught 4 trout off the bank while tossing
out minnows under a slip bobber. He told
me that he’s been hooking up on every
trip. The next time I go out I’m going to try
trolling the coves near the dam,” said Cruz.
Bass anglers are hooking from 10 to 25
spotted bass per day using a variety of
approaches. The best action is coming on
either finesse worms rigged on drop shot
rigs or on spider grubs pinned on football
heads and dragged right along the bottom.
It seems like there are bass available
just about everywhere in the lake. Some
guys are working the lower end of the
Sacramento Arm, while other anglers are
running up into the Pit River arm and pulling
fish out of the timber.
As of press time Shasta was 50 feet from
maximum pool and basically stable.
SMITH/CHETCO RIVERS
Low, Clear Water Makes
Steelhead Fishing Tough
SMITH RIVER – The Smith and Chetco
rivers remain in need of rain, but it looked
like some rain was headed to the Northern
California and Southern Oregon Coast at
press time.
“We received just 3/10 of an inch last
night, but a little more rain is expected
to arrive over next three days,” said Phil
Desautels of Phil’s Smiling Salmon Guide
Service. “The water is low and clear on both
rivers and steelhead fishing is slow.”
“Guide boats are reporting ones and
twos and lots of zeros while drifting the
W
VOL.37 • ISS. 03
Chetco from Loebe Park or Ice Box down to
Market. On my latest trip on the Chetco, we
had two bites and that was it,” he explained.
Most of the fish are in the 6 to 8 lb. class,
but Desautels did see one plunker on the
Chetco land a 13 lb. steelhead while using
a 50/50 Spin Glo.
“Hardy anybody is fishing the Smith and
Chetco now because there is hardly any
water,” said Desautels.
While the rockfish season on California’s
North Coast closed on December 31, the
season on the Oregon coast opened on
January 1. “The parking lot at mouth of the
Chetco River in Brookings was crowded
with over 100 boats on opening day. The
anglers caught some big lingcod and
rockfish,” he added.
SOUTHERN OREGON
ROUNDUP
Steelhead Show, Trout Bite
Remains Good
ROSEBERG - The ODFW reports
the rivers in the Coos Basin are low and
clear but should change with the next
rain. Steelhead anglers are reporting an
occasional steelhead being caught. Fishing
should pick up with the next significant rain.
Anglers fishing the South Fork Coos River
above Dellwood will need a permit from
Weyerhaeuser, which allows the angler
to access up to the Seven Mile Bridge.
Permits can be obtained at Weyerhaeuser’s
Coos Bay office.
The steelhead rivers in the Coquille
Basin are running low and clear. Steelhead
anglers have been plunking in the tidewater
sections of the Coquille River near the town
of Coquille in hopes of the first returning
winter steelhead.
On the Umpqua anglers are beginning to
pick up a few steelhead in the lower river.
Hector Valera landed this massive 12.45 pound rainbow trout while fishing the South Cove at
Los Vaqueros Reservoir on December 20. The big fish gobbled PowerBait.
Photo courtesy of the LOS VAQUEROS RECREATION AREA, Los Vaqueros Reservoir
Bank and boat anglers are having some
good success in the middle section of the
mainstem.
The Rogue is low and clear. A few
steelhead are spread throughout the lower
river. This is a good time to try and catch a
steelhead fly-fishing or with spinner fishing.
On the middle Rogue, summer steelhead
are available, but cold, clear water is
making fishing challenging. Anglers should
down-size their tackle and work their
offerings slowly along the bottom. The river
is also open for trout fishing. Five hatchery
trout may be harvested per day. Wild trout
must be released unharmed.
With local rivers low and clear, anglers
may want hit Garrison Lake for some trout
fishing. Usually the best fishing is in the
afternoon or evening after water and air
temperatures warm some and fish become
a little more active. Garrison usually has a
pretty good number of carry over trout and
some cutthroat running around this time of
year.
Lake Marie has been consistent with
anglers reporting good catch rates. Most
anglers use PowerBait or worms to catch
trout and yellow perch. The local STEP
hatchery released clipped rainbow trout into
Lake Marie in the spring of 2017.
Lost Creek Reservoir is a winter trout
fishing hot spot in the Rogue Valley, with
the vast majority of water users being
anglers this time of year. Many more large
trout are being stocked in Lost Creek than
in past years as a result of data from recent
trout tagging studies.
Boat anglers in winter can have success
trolling along the dam, around the exposed
CONTINUED ON PAGE 25
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